Pride in The Iliad

Achilles almost fatal flaw

       As a growing teenager, in a school full of moody boys, I know a thing or two about pride. Through my knowledge of pride though, The Iliad by Homer has somehow managed to show me its application through time and in the world. I started reading this book because of my own pride. I wanted to prove to myself that I could read this book and enjoy it, but The Iliad’s use of pride, on and off the battlefield have helped to show me how dangerous pride can be. The character who I feel most exemplifies this pride to me is Achilles. In the long fight against the Trojans, moral is running low among the Achaeans. They have been pushed back against their ships and as I read each line of Achaean sacrifice and hard fought battle I could hardly think of anything else. And then the story turned to Achilles, the one person who could save everyone, who was sitting on the sidelines eating grapes because of his pride. When I started this book I never expected to read about anything other than constant battle; I didn’t expect to understand the faults of the characters; but most of all I didn’t expect to learn a lesson from them. I said last week that reading The Iliad was like doing a chore, and that you needed to take it as your responsibility, and nearing the end of the book, I wouldn’t disagree. If there would be one thing I could add though, it would be that these chores should also be a lesson, and you shouldn’t do it mindlessly. You should take pride in your work, and make sure you can grow and learn from it.